Data-backed planning intelligence · 3,840,000+ decisions analysed across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland
PlanningLens

Rear Extension Approval Rates in Greenwich

Rear extensions are the bread and butter of UK planning — and one of the most common reasons homeowners face a refusal. Here's what 5,700 real decisions tell us about rear extension outcomes in Greenwich.

5,700 real decisions·January 2020 to September 2026·Updated September 2026
66.7%
Approval Rate
5,700
Decisions
3,801
Approved
1,899
Refused
66.7% approved. But 1,899 refused since 2020. Each refusal cost the homeowner time and money on drawings and application fees. Understanding your local data before you apply is the difference between confidence and a costly gamble.

Check Planning Approval Patterns in Greenwich

See your ward's approval rate and nearby planning decisions — free and instant.

Check My Postcode

Why rear extension approval rates matter

Rear extensions sit in the middle of the pack nationally. They're common enough that councils have clear precedent — but that cuts both ways. If your neighbours have been refused, that precedent works against you too.

These are council averages. Your property is specific.

Two houses on the same street can get different outcomes.
Check your postcode to see what actually happens near your address.

Check My Postcode

How rear extensions compare to other project types

Not all applications are treated equally. Here's how rear extensions stack up against other common projects in Greenwich.

TypeDecisionsRate
New Build434
85.5%
Outbuilding862
78.9%
Flat Conversion573
78.2%
Garage / Parking2,942
77.5%
Extension (General)625
77.4%
Conservatory486
76.7%
Basement859
76.5%
Annex74
74.3%
Hip-to-Gable Conversion844
70.5%
Change of Use (Residential)1,603
70.3%
Loft Conversion2,694
67.9%
Dormer2,872
67.9%
Rear Extension5,700
66.7%
HMO674
62.5%
Side Extension2,093
59.8%
Wraparound Extension697
58.0%
Front Extension232
49.1%
See how this applies to your postcode →

What the data tells us

1
66.7% of rear extension applications in Greenwich get approved. That means 1,899 homeowners since 2020 have been refused. Not terrible odds, but not a foregone conclusion.
3
Council averages are starting points, not guarantees. The decisions that matter most are the comparable ones near your specific property — because planning officers look at precedent, character and the immediate context of your street.

Before you spend £5,000+ on architects and drawings

1,899 rear extension applications in Greenwich have been refused since 2020. Many of those homeowners had already paid for drawings and application fees. A free, property-specific report shows you what gets approved — and what gets refused — near your property.

Check my postcode
Free · Property report emailed in minutes · Based on 3,840,000+ real decisions

More Greenwich planning data

Nearby councils rear extension data

Methodology: Based on 5,700 planning decisions classified as rear extensions in Greenwich, January 2020 to September 2026. Classification uses keyword matching against proposal descriptions (matching generate_site_data.py rules). A single application may appear in multiple categories. Approval rate = approved / (approved + refused). Pending, withdrawn and invalid applications excluded. Data from Greenwich Council's public planning portal. Full methodology →
Check planning approval patterns in Greenwich — Free